How comes he has 100% enthusiasm for all things non-academic?
FOUR FOR FRIDAY - THE MORE OR LESS EDITIONQ1 - Time: Comparing the last 365 days to the previous 365, do you have more, less, or about same amount of free time on your hands? If more or less, what changed over the last year?
Q2 - Money: Do you think having more money would buy you more, less, or the same amount of happiness as you have in your life today? If more or less money, how much more or less would it take?
Q3 - Dating & Kissing: Thinking back to when you were in junior and senior high school, do you ever wish you would have kissed/dated more, less, or about the same number of people that you did back in the day?
Q4 - Exercise: Do you plan to exercise more, less, or about the same amount in 2006 as you did in 2005?
A1 - I most definitely had far more free time in 2004. Oh my goodness the free time that I had. It was free. And there was so much of it. Months and months of time that was free. The things that I did! (Drove kids back and forth.) The places that I went! (In circles, from one corner of this comminuty over to the other.) The no-money that I had!
And then I got a real job. With a desk (so to speak. It was more like a kidney shaped portable computer table, but still. I sat behind it for more than a year. I finally moved myself over to a folding table. No drawers or shelves or file cabinet, but a larger surface to work on. And most importantly - a place to put my legs.)
What was the question again? Oh, yeah, free time....
I had some in 2005 but not nearly as much as the year before.
A2: The ol money and happiness question.
Which reminds me of a thought I had, oh, about 10 years ago.
We were on our way home, the 5 of us in my car and one of us did not like his car seat very much and was being quite vocal about it. He Who Liked To Cry and Scream Every Time He Was Strapped Into His Governement Approved Safety Device cried and screamed with royal indignation for the duration of every car ride for over 2 years. He Who Liked To Cry and Scream Every Time He Was Strapped Into His Governement Approved Safety Device also did not care much for the act of sleeping, so for 18 months, the longest time period he closed his eyes was 100 minutes.
Anyways, like I was saying, we were approaching our mansion in my new car and those that were not crying were playing the "What would we do if we won the lottery" game. The non-crying kids and their dad were on fantasy spending sprees; vacation homes in Hawaii, toys, vehicles, vaction home in the mountains, more toys, and so on.
And while the one was crying and the others were spending, I thought to myself... $1,000,000 will not stop him from crying. It will not make him sleep through the night. It will not make me feel less ugly. It will not make me feel more loved.
$1,000,000 will not buy me any more happiness than I already have.
So now, one decade later the question resurfaces. Forget that I revived it myself. It was on the Four On Friday Web Site. I do these things in order. And I never mess with lists.
Would more money make me more happy?
Put another way, what is preventing me from being deliriously happy right now? And would money rectify that?
If you are parenting teen age children and you watch the news occasionally, you are hyper sensitive to all the humps and hurdles your child is cartwheeling through. I have friends who have children who are dealing with depression, suicide, cocaine addiction, teen pregnancy, abortion, drug overdoses, alcoholism, fatal car accidents and pornography addictions.
The never ending concern for my boys is forefront in my mind. I am so ready for Jesus to come and whisk us all to heaven. I'm done. Our time on earth can be over. I'm ready to get on the heaven-bound-sky-train and live for eternity in safety with those I love. Oh, yeah, and worship God too...
Would increased money in my pocket take away my fears of the crap my kids will have to deal with in the next few years? Will it diminish the temptations that are going to attack them every time they're out of my sight?
Will a big fat raise make me feel less ugly? More loved?
Likely not.
So, if you're still with me here... my final answer is... an extra $10,000 per year would be a nice buffer and help me to relax about my finances. But I don't think you'd see a silly smile plastered on my face hearing me singing the If You're Happy and You Know it Clap your Hands song if I got a cheque in the mail.
And amounts of $100,000 to $100,000,000 would allow me to sponsor a whole lot more kids and give generously to causes I believe in.
But money won't protect my kids from peer and media pressure. My heart aches for them to make wise choices, to be strong men of integrity who seek God first, and to love their families with every ounce of their beings. Money has nothing to do with that.
Shoot. What was the question again?
Moving on...
A3: Heh heh heh. The ol kissing/dating question that has been asked of me in real life a number of times (by my kids and their friends) in the past 6 months.
In case you've just arrived on the planet; I have kissed and dated only one guy in my life. We met in grade 9 science. Went to our school's Christmas Dance when we were in grade 10. Started "going around" in grade 11. Got married after we graduated from BCIT.
I have no regrets.
Not one.
There was no one else I was interested in kissing.
I have a feeling my sons are not like me. In fact, I have been told, "I am not going to make the same mistake you made." ( Like that was my mistake.)
Personally, I'd like to see guys and girls develop strong friendships rather than get into pairing up and exclusive dating during their school years.
But what do I know?
A4: Finally! One that I can answer in 10 words or less.
I did no exercise in 2005.
I aim to do more in 2006. Even if I just do 10 sit ups tonight I will have accomplished my goal.
Done.
Blogging friends... your turn.
Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Payday tomorrow. Oy. Last month was expensive. Hate those unexpected surprises.
2. I have a job so that I actually get a payday. Oy. Last month was expensive. But my truck is good for another 3 months or so. And Max is finally sleeping on a bed with no history. He was getting a little weirded out thinking that he was sleeping on the same mattress he was conceived on.
3. Drew's excitement for our record-breaking weather. "Imagine mom! It has rained for 27 straight days. I can't believe we're going to set a new record. Isn't that cool?"
Shalom,
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